Since Khan’s removal, his lawmakers are being threatened through phone calls. Mr X and Mr Y, as he would name intelligence officials, are at work…reports Asian Lite news
Pakistani Army plays a major role in the country’s politics – calls the shots on domestic and international security and political affairs.
According to former Prime Minister Imran Khan, the establishment is still busy with political engineering and this time, in order to undermine Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, reported The News International.
By his own admission, he would use agencies to retain the support of allies who were unhappy with him. Dissidents within the PTI were being treated with the same stick.
A PTI lawmaker, who refused to come for voting during a budget session, received a call from a spymaster. “Should I send men or aircraft to bring you,” he threatened, leaving no option for the MNA but to come, reported The News International.
However, since Khan’s removal, his lawmakers are being threatened through phone calls. Mr X and Mr Y, as he would name intelligence officials, are at work.
Things started changing after the top-level changes in ISI. According to a source, Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa thinks that since a lot of political engineering has occurred under his command, the process of taking corrective measures should also have started under his watch, reported The News.
Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa
There is no evidence to suggest any role of the establishment in pressuring Khan’s allies to switch sides during the vote of no-confidence. Even Khan has nothing to say in this regard other than blaming the establishment for not supporting him to retain power.
The News spoke to several lawmakers known for toeing the line of the establishment. None of them said they were under any instruction.
Even after Khan’s ouster, there was no pressure from the establishment on the new government to complete the remaining year of the parliamentary term. Instead, it wanted fresh elections held much like Khan and Nawaz Sharif.
Going by the establishment’s narrative, they decided to pull out of politics a year before the ouster of Khan. “There was a growing impression that the Pakistan Army is the army of PTI. This is dangerous. Army belongs to all people of Pakistan,” according to the establishment figure, reported The News.
There was a consensus at the top level, he continued, that we have supported the PTI government at each and every step and now let them (the PTI government) handle the situation by themselves. Nevertheless, the support was not withdrawn immediately. It took several months and could be actualised only after the change in the leadership of ISI.
How long the establishment remains neutral is a million-dollar question. (ANI)
From September 19 to 21, MEPs from the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) visited Pakistan…reports Asian Lite News
The Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), who paid a three-day visit to Pakistan, have called for timely reforms and legislative changes on human rights issues including enforced disappearances and blasphemy cases.
From September 19 to 21, MEPs from the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) visited Pakistan.
“In other meetings, MEPs focused on the human rights situation against the backdrop of the final round of EU monitoring of Pakistan’s preferential trade access to the EU market under the GSP+ scheme for 2014-2033 and its preparations for an application to the next GSP system to be determined in 2024,” the European Commission said in a statement.
The commission said the EU is Pakistan’s most important export market and as a major “GSP+” country, it has committed to ratifying and complying with 27 international conventions on human rights, labour rights, sustainable development and good governance. “MEPs discussed a wide range of human rights topics in their meetings with the Speaker and members of Pakistan’s National Assembly, as well as with the Chairman and members of the Senate,” the statement said.
They also held meetings with the Minister of Human Rights, the Minister of Law and Justice and the Chairwoman of the National Commission on Human Rights. The delegation met with civil society organisations, women human rights activists and the media.
In these discussions, they talked about the criminal justice system, torture and the death penalty, economic and social rights, prevention of domestic violence, and the freedoms of religion and belief and the freedom of expression both online and offline.
“MEPs said it was important for Pakistan to undertake timely reforms and legislative changes on human rights issues, and translate them into concrete improvements. They called for determined and structured action, including the swift adoption of laws against torture and enforced disappearances, steps to reduce the number of crimes carrying the death penalty and to apply the new procedures for mercy petitions,” the European Commission said.
“Laws protecting journalists, eliminating obstacles to the work of civil society organisations and media, and the rights to collective bargaining and unionisation should be implemented,” it added.
The delegation also raised the need to prevent the misuse of blasphemy laws, by applying safeguards against false accusations.
The members and Pakistani senators committed to sending a joint letter to Pakistan’s Supreme Court judges, requesting the court system, particularly at lower levels, speed up its processing of blasphemy cases. MEPs also called for decisive actions to prevent domestic violence, child labour and child marriage.
During their visit, the MEPs were briefed on Pakistan’s emergency response, relief activities and vulnerability to climate disasters. They underlined that the international community must increase its efforts to reduce global carbon emissions and help the countries suffering the most from climate change. (ANI)
An expert pointed out that while China will not fare any better in Afghanistan than the US and NATO, Fair concluded, it does have one advantage: it is more risk-acceptant to danger…reports Asian Lite News
China’s policy shift towards Afghanistan is a “New Great Game” in the region to use the country as a stepping-stone for broader regional strategic, economic and political endeavour and moving towards the realignment of the region’s balance of power and hegemony, experts say.
According to experts at a Thursday virtual panel discussion, ‘China’s Afghan agenda’, hosted by London-based NGO The Democracy Forum (TDF), pragmatism and evolution encapsulate China’s outlook toward Afghanistan,
Since the departure of US forces a year ago, said TDF President Lord Bruce, China appears to be developing a five-pronged engagement policy towards Afghanistan: a cautious but pragmatic acceptance of the Taliban’s dominance; preventing the re-emergence of Afghanistan as a safe haven for terrorism; facilitating an inclusive political process; pursuing humanitarian goals; all while pointedly shaming the US and its allies for their abdication of responsibility.
Lord Bruce highlighted some commentators’ theories, in questioning the ultimate destination of this engagement strategy, that this policy shift might be ‘part of a New Great Game in the region for China’s global economic and geo-strategic aspiration’, raising the prospect that China intends to ‘use Afghanistan as a stepping-stone for broader regional strategic, economic and political endeavour…moving towards realignment of the region’s balance of power and hegemony.’
With news channels dominated in the last 24 hours by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s call to mobilise military reservists, Lord Bruce concluded, it is inevitable that China’s next moves in Central Asia will be affected by the future realignment of regional hegemonies as the duration and consequential cost of Russia’s war in Ukraine become clearer.
In her brief prehistory of China’s engagement with Afghan Islamists, Dr Christine Fair, Professor of Security Studies at Georgetown University, said that it was a desire to gain control of potential Uyghur separatists that motivated China to reach out to the Taliban in the 1990s.
Regarding Afghanistan’s central geopolitical position and abundant resources leading to its addition to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2016, the Taliban’s security guarantees to China have not prevented instability, which continues to threaten the BRI’s economic viability.
The Taliban are not the sole providers of violence in Afghanistan, with groups such as the Islamic State (IS) committing rival acts of violence. Fair anticipated that the drivers of the fundaments that initially brought the Chinese to the table with the Taliban will remain in place, but she remained unconvinced that the Taliban would be able to provide Chinese firms with the assistance required to make their investments truly worthwhile.
She also highlighted Taliban acts since their return to power that strained their relationships with others, including reaching out to India, which displeased Pakistan. With regard to Pakistan and its desire to use the Taliban as an instrument to control Afghanistan, she foresaw that the good relationship between China and the Taliban is likely to put stressors on the Pakistan Taliban, and on Sino-Pakistan relations, going forward.
While China will not fare any better in Afghanistan than the US and NATO, Fair concluded, it does have one advantage: it is more risk-acceptant to danger.
Given Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, Beijing will have to employ a delicate balancing act in the region, said Muhammad Tayyab Safdar, a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the University of Virginia’s Dept. of Politics.
From the Chinese perspective, there are two fundamental objectives that are important vis-a-vis Afghanistan: domestic stability, which includes maintaining control over Xinjiang and ensuring that Afghanistan does not act as a staging ground for Uyghur militants; and trying to protect the substantial Chinese foreign direct investments in regional countries, especially the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
But violence against Chinese interests from the TTP has increased as China’s footprint in the region has expanded, and while it is risk-acceptant, it has reacted, in order to convey a message.
Sardar also spoke of the ‘win-win’ narrative of regional economic integration, which China believes will improve stability. The main focus for this is the idea of a ‘CPEC-plus’, to which Afghanistan is central, having links to landlocked Central Asian countries, which can use Afghanistan as a route to Pakistan.
However, despite China’s hope for ‘CPEC-plus’, there are substantial emerging tensions between the Afghan and Pakistan Taliban, with reports of Taliban attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and on politicians and civilians in the SWAT region.
The ability of the Afghan Taliban to control the TTP is largely limited – whether by design or not is open to interpretation, said Sardar – and it is also important to remember the Durand Line, whose legality has been questioned by subsequent Afghan governments. So, for Beijing, he concluded, underlying tensions on the ground remain largely intractable, and keeping old alliances in place while building new ones remains difficult.
Fatima Airan, a Former Senior Specialist, at Afghanistan’s Ministry of Finance, offered an overview of aid, investments and technical cooperation between China and Afghanistan from 2001 until 2021.
Although aid from China was substantial, Airan said Beijing’s economic relationship with Kabul remained ‘insignificant’ over that time. Since 2013, greater diplomatic engagement between the two began, although a Taliban attack on Kabul in 2019 and then Covid stalled this. In 2021, China called the Taliban ‘a crucial military and political force’, while the Taliban called China their ‘most important partner’.
Regarding progress between the Taliban and China, she said a contract had been signed to build a ‘China Town’ in Kabul, and an agreement had been signed in Uzbekistan earlier this year to allow goods to travel from China to Afghanistan and vice-versa.
However, from her personal experience, she said China was more interested in Afghanistan’s politics than its economy, and it has not been vocal in criticising the Taliban’s poor human rights record, saying human and women’s rights violations in the country are ‘internal affairs.’
The Taliban government’s security guarantees to China in return for investment in copper extraction was one of the issues highlighted by Dr Pamir Sahill, a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Jan Masaryk Centre for International Studies, Prague.
Sahill also spoke of internal rifts within the Taliban and their dependence on Pakistan, which ostensibly wants a weaker Afghanistan in order to achieve its political objectives. In terms of investments, China is not so interested in copper in Afghanistan now, as copper prices have fallen in recent months.
It is more interested in lithium, used in computers and mobile phones, and in cobalt and nickel. Ultimately, Sahill envisaged big challenges for the Taliban, which may lead China to delay its investments in Afghanistan. Beijing, he concluded, is not looking at Afghanistan to expand its influence, but mostly for business reasons.
Lucas Myers, the Program Coordinator at the Wilson Center’s Asia Program, addressed China’s interests and policy towards Afghanistan, looking at stability and mitigating risks, including risks of cross-border terrorism.
He touched on China’s Afghanistan policy since the US withdrawal, which engaged with the Taliban (through humanitarian aid, including Covid vaccines, and reduced tariffs) whilst not formally recognising them.
Although Beijing argues that the threat of terrorism from Uyghur militants and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is a serious spillover risk in Xinjiang, and has struck an agreement with the Taliban to remove Uyghur militants from border regions, Myers believed that the actual risk is exaggerated by Beijing to justify its repressive policies.
In fact, he added, the main security threat to Chinese interests emanating from Afghanistan is not in Xinjiang, but rather from the wider region, for example, the TTP and ISIS-K, which target Chinese assets and nationals in Afghanistan, Pakistan and beyond. Myers also addressed China’s ambitions of regional connectivity and economic engagement, saying Beijing is pragmatic, not ideological, in its dealings with regional powers. (ANI)
The Artemis 1 space mission hopes to test the SLS as well as the unmanned Orion capsule that sits atop it, in preparation for future Moon-bound journeys with humans aboard…reports Asian Lite News
NASA has called off the scheduled Tuesday launch of its historic uncrewed mission to the Moon due to a tropical storm that is forecast to strengthen as it approaches Florida.
After two previously canceled launch attempts, NASA is weighing returning the Artemis 1 mission rocket to its assembly site under the threat of extreme weather.
“NASA is forgoing a launch opportunity… and preparing for rollback (from the launchpad), while continuing to watch the weather forecast associated with Tropical Storm Ian,” it said on Saturday.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Ian is due to “rapidly intensify” over the weekend as it moves toward Florida, home to the Kennedy Space Center, from which the rocket is set to launch.
Currently south of Jamaica, the storm is expected to approach Florida’s west coast “at or near major hurricane strength” early next week, threatening storm surge, flooding and hurricane-force winds across much of the state, the NHC said.
On the launchpad, the giant orange and white Space Launch System (SLS) rocket can withstand wind gusts of up to 137 kilometers (85 miles) per hour. But if it has to be sheltered, the current launch window, which runs until October 4, will be missed.
A decision on whether to roll back the rocket to the Vehicle Assembly Building is due to be taken by the Artemis 1 team on Sunday, “to allow for additional data gathering and analysis,” with the operation, if necessary, starting late Sunday or Monday morning, NASA said.
Jim Free, associate administrator for the agency’s exploration systems development directorate, said on Twitter that a “step-wise approach” to the decision to roll back preserves “a launch opportunity if conditions improve,” indicating a launch date before October 5 was still on the table.
If not, the next launch window will run from October 17 to 31, with one possibility of take-off per day, except from October 24-26 and 28.
The Artemis 1 space mission hopes to test the SLS as well as the unmanned Orion capsule that sits atop it, in preparation for future Moon-bound journeys with humans aboard.
Artemis is named after the twin sister of the Greek god Apollo, after whom the first Moon missions were named.
Unlike the Apollo missions, which sent only white men to the Moon between 1969 and 1972, Artemis missions will see the first person of color and the first woman step foot on the lunar surface.
A successful Artemis 1 mission would come as a huge relief to the US space agency, after years of delays and cost overruns.
But another setback would be a blow to NASA, after two previous launch attempts were scrapped when the rocket experienced technical glitches including a fuel leak.
The cost of the Artemis program is estimated to reach $93 billion by 2025, with its first four missions clocking in at a whopping $4.1 billion each, according to a government audit.
Marcos, who is set to return to the Philippines on Saturday, said that he cannot envision his country without the US as a partner during an economic forum earlier in the week…reports Asian Lite news
The Philippines is on track to deepen its alliance with the US, experts said this week, as the first meeting between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his US counterpart Joe Biden showed mutual intention to revive long-standing ties that were undermined during the previous Philippine presidency.
Marcos and Biden held their inaugural face-to-face talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York City, a few months after the son of the late dictator took office following a landslide victory in the Philippine elections.
Since becoming president, Marcos has held meetings with a number of top US officials, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a foreign policy shift from the days of former president Rodrigo Duterte, who oversaw a strategy to distance Manila from Washington and embrace a Beijing-friendly direction.
“We are your partners, we are your allies, we are your friends. And in like fashion, we have always considered the US our partner, our ally and our friend,” Marcos told Biden during their meeting.
Marcos, who is set to return to the Philippines on Saturday, said that he cannot envision his country without the US as a partner during an economic forum earlier in the week.
Biden had reaffirmed the US’ “ironclad commitment” to the defense of the Philippines during the occasion, the White House said in a statement, as they discussed various other issues, including tensions in the South China Sea and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“The relationship between the US and the Philippines, to state the obvious, has very deep roots. We’ve had some rocky times but the fact is it’s a critical, critical relationship from our perspective,” Biden said.
Their meeting conveyed eagerness on both sides to strengthen ties, Southeast Asia expert Gregory Poling of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington D.C., told Arab News.
“The meeting certainly shows both sides are eager to deepen the relationship, and that doing so is a high priority for the Biden administration,” Poling said.
As the White House “doesn’t organize a ton of meetings like this” on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Poling said that “prioritizing this one sends its own message.
“The US-Philippines alliance is undergoing a process of modernization that started last year and is moving rather quickly,” he added.
Victor Andres Manhit, president of the Stratbase ADR Institute for Strategic and International Studies in Manila, said the meeting showed how Manila is “strengthening and believes” in its partnership with Washington.
“Hopefully, this could be a fresh start in how to strengthen this alliance and turn this alliance beyond defense and security but really a consistent support from the US with regard to trade, investments that can generate jobs, that can then generate more growth for the Philippines,” Manhit said.
He added that strong relations between the two countries have “always been what the Filipinos want.”
Marcos said that the Philippines will be “a friend to all, and an enemy to none” during his first address to the nation in July, with his administration’s approach toward the US showing a marked contrast to his predecessor, who went to China in the early days of his presidency and announced a “separation” from Washington, its former colonial master.
India’s commercial capital Mumbai will host one of the largest post-Covid events to discuss India’s relations with the Gulf region. Prominent attendees include Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Ministry of Economy, UAE; Lujaina Mohsin Darwish, Chairperson, Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC – ITICS; Member, Majlis A’Dawla (Oman State Council); Chairperson, India-Oman Friendship Society; Harsh Vardhan Shringla, India’s Chief G20 Coordinator; Former Foreign Secretary, India and London-based industrialist Gopichand Hinduja … A special report by Kaliph Anaz
India’s commercial capital Mumbai will host the 2022 edition of the Arabian Sea Dialogue. The event will analyse the historical ties between India and the Gulf region in the backdrop of current post-Covid scenario. Observer Research Foundation (ORF) is organising the event with the support of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Climateworks Foundation.
The ORF said the event will be a milestone moment as the region witnesses an evolutionary change, transcending the traditional economic interests of trade, energy, and employment. The multitude of geopolitical developments within and outside the region are also reshaping the Gulf’s engagement with India and the world.
The 2022 edition of the Arabian Sea Dialogue in Mumbai on September 27 brings together policymakers, business leaders, civil society, and the youth of the region to deliberate on a blueprint for an ‘Arabian Sea Community’ to shape and reinvigorate the vibrance, passion, and potential among the peoples of India and the Gulf—provided, nourished and united by our shared connection, the Arabian Sea.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan decorating Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, with the Order of Zayed (Photo WAM)
“The pandemic and the heightened geopolitical uncertainty have led to tumult—countries are exploring avenues to transform the crisis into opportunity spurring digital transformation and reconfiguration of supply chains at an unprecedented pace and manner. It has also led to the reimagination and reorganisation of partnerships, such as the I2U2, Quad, and AUKUS, as countries work towards greater synergy and enhanced cooperation.
“Given their shared interests, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and India are re-energising and revitalising their historical connections, imparting an unprecedented impetus to the partnership. The renewed dynamism in India-GCC relations has presented an opportunity for India and the GCC countries to engage better for more significant mutual benefit and greater global good.”
“West Asia is not new to geopolitical upheavals and great-power rivalries. From the oil age of the mid-20th century turning the region into a fulcrum of global power and influence to the Gulf War in 1991 and the Iraq war in 2001, this region has been critical to international politics and economics, and particularly so for western foreign policy. However, recent developments are shaping new security dynamics in the region.
“The Gulf states are hedging their bets: China is the new power player on the block; the Russia-Ukraine war has further pushed the idea of ‘strategic autonomy’; and struggles of some deals, such as the JCPOA, and the success of others, such as the Abraham Accords, represent the changing political paradigm in historically fraught geography. Meanwhile, major external powers are reassessing their priorities. How are the GCC states responding to this new security environment? What fundamentals have the Abraham Accords altered in West Asia and intra-Arab politics? What does the emerging I2U2 equation portend for the future of this region?
The relationship between India and the GCC has fundamentally changed over the last few years. There has been a significant increase in economic engagement and the setting of deeper trade and investment ties between the two regions. The recently concluded CEPA with the UAE and the highly anticipated FTA with the GCC are a testament to the advancing relationship. Beyond the deepening trade links, the emergence of global value chains and supply chains has allowed the two regions to integrate further and reap the benefits of their comparative advantages.
India’s ascension to G20 presidency in December 2022 also provides an opportunity to bring issues of mutual priority to the global high table. In this backdrop important questions arise. What are the expectations of the GCC from India’s G20 presidency? How can partners reshape their economic relationship through the value chain approach? How can digital technologies be harnessed to bolster the resilience of the supply chains in the region? How can India and the GCC leverage their complementarities to create a more conducive investment environment in the region?
PROGRAMME
Welcome:
● Jaibal Naduvath, Vice President and Senior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India
Keynotes:
● Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Ministry of Economy, UAE
● Lujaina Mohsin Darwish, Chairperson, Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC – ITICS; Member, Majlis A’Dawla (Oman State Council); Chairperson, India-Oman Friendship Society
● Harsh Vardhan Shringla, India’s Chief G20 Coordinator; Former Foreign Secretary, India
● Pankaj Khimji, Advisor, Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, Oman; Director, Khimji Ramdas Group; Chairperson, Oman Cricket
Looking Ahead:
● Navdeep Suri, Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India
PANEL DISCUSSION: New Alignments, New Opportunities
Speakers:
● Pankaj Khimji, Advisor, Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, Oman; Director, Khimji Ramdas Group; Chairperson, Oman Cricket
● Vice Admiral Girish Luthra (Retd.), PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC, Former Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern and Western Naval Commands, Indian Navy; Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India
● Staff Colonel Pilot Adel Binsanqoor (Retd.), Acting Director of Strategic Study and Scientific Research Division, The Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research, UAE
● Sultan Barakat, Founding Director, Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, Doha Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar
● Abdullah Baabood, State of Qatar Chair for Islamic Area Studies, Waseda University, Japan
Moderator:
● Shamika Ravi, Vice President, Economic Policy, Observer Research Foundation, India
Special Address
● Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, Indian Navy
PANEL DISCUSSION: Decoding the New Security Paradigm
Speakers:
● Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, Indian Navy
● Sultan Barakat, Founding Director, Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, Doha Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar
● Shaikha Najla Mohamed Salem Alqasimi, Director, Global Affairs Department, B’huth (Dubai Public Policy Research Centre); Former UAE ambassador
● Rajeswari Rajagopalan, Director, Centre for Security, Strategy and Technology, Observer Research Foundation, India
● Mahjoob Zweiri, Director, Gulf Studies Centre, Qatar University, Qatar
Moderator:
● Harsh Pant, Vice President, Studies and Foreign Policy, Observer Research Foundation, India
Special Address
● Harsh Vardhan Shringla, India’s Chief G20 Coordinator; Former Foreign Secretary, India
PANEL DISCUSSION: India, GCC and the G20: New Opportunities, New Possibilities
Speakers:
● Harsh Vardhan Shringla, India’s Chief G20 Coordinator; Former Foreign Secretary, India
● Belkacem Laabas, Senior Advisor and Chairman of the Advisory and Institutional Support Committee, Arab Planning Institute, Kuwait
● Shaikha Najla Mohamed Salem Alqasimi, Director, Global Affairs Department, B’huth (Dubai Public Policy Research Centre); Former UAE ambassador
● Mansour Almarzoqi, Director, Centre for Strategic Studies, Prince Saud Al-Faisal Institute for Diplomatic Studies, Saudi Arabia
● Shivali Lawale, Director, Symbiosis School of International Studies, India
● Mihir Sharma, Director, Centre for Economy and Growth Programme, Observer Research Foundation, India
Moderator:
● Jyoti Malhotra, Senior Consulting Editor, ThePrint, India
Special Address
● Sheikh Humaid bin Ali Al Maani, Chief, Global Affairs Department, Foreign Ministry of Oman
PERSPECTIVES: A Sea of Opportunity
● Gopichand P Hinduja, Co-Chairman, Hinduja Group; Chairman, Hinduja Automotive Limited, United Kingdom
● Manisha Verma, Principal Secretary, Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Government of Maharashtra, India
● Siddik Bakir, Director, Oil and Gas Division, Policies and Strategic Planning, Ministry of Energy, Saudi Arabia; CEO, Majlis Advisory
PANEL DISCUSSION: ‘Trade with Trust’: India and the GCC
Speakers:
● Walid Abdmoulah, Economic Advisor and Deputy Director General, Arab Planning Institute, Kuwait
● Arun Raste, Managing Director and CEO, National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX), India
● Abdullah Baabood, State of Qatar Chair for Islamic Area Studies, Waseda University, Japan
● Shubhada Rao, Founder, QuantEco Research, India
● Chandrima Sinha, Vice President, Invest India, National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency, Government of India
Moderator:
● Reaven Gerrad D’Souza, Managing Editor, The Times Kuwait
PERSPECTIVES: Changing priorities in the era of the green transition
● Shaymaa Elsharqawi, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Falcon Institute for Strategic Studies and Human Development, Egypt
● Devanathan Parthasarathy, Professor, Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay, India
PANEL DISCUSSION: Green Mobility: ‘Driving’ the race to net zero
Speakers:
● Shaymaa Elsharqawi, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Falcon Institute for Strategic Studies and Human Development, Egypt
● Emre Hatipoglu, Research Fellow, Oil and Gas Programme, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center, Saudi Arabia
● Kiran Raju, Founder and CEO, Grene Robotics, India
● Nilanjan Ghosh, Director, Centre for New Economic Diplomacy, Observer Research Foundation, India
● Sharvari Patki, Programme Head, Electric Mobility, WRI India
Moderator:
● Siddik Bakir, Director, Oil and Gas Division, Policies and Strategic Planning, Ministry of Energy, Saudi Arabia; CEO, Majlis Advisory
Leveraging the India-Gulf relationship for Climate Finance
Speakers:
● Walid Abdmoulah, Economic Advisor and Deputy Director General, Arab Planning Institute, Kuwait
● Paul Abraham, President, Hinduja Foundation, India
● Belkacem Laabas, Senior Advisor and Chairman of the Advisory and Institutional Support Committee, Arab Planning Institute, Kuwait
● Srinath Sridharan, Co-Founder, 4P Consulting, India
● Prachi Shevgaonkar, Founder and CEO, Cool The Globe, India
Moderator:
● Shamika Ravi, Vice President, Economic Policy, Observer Research Foundation, India
Special Address
● Sanjay Kumar, Secretary (Youth Affairs), Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India
PERSPECTIVES: An Isthmus of Ideas
● Manisha Verma, Principal Secretary, Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Government of Maharashtra, India
● Amer Al Rawas, Chairman, Concordia Group, Oman
PANEL DISCUSSION: Making Arabian Sea Community the Global Innovation Hub
Speakers:
● Amer Al Rawas, Chairperson, Concordia Group, Oman
● Chandrima Sinha, Vice President, Invest India, National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency, Government of India
● Manisha Verma, Principal Secretary, Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Government of Maharashtra, India
● Mrigank Tripathi, Chief Growth Officer, India & MEA, PeopleStrong, India
● George Paul, Head, Strategic Alliances and Partnerships, JioGenNext, India
● Kshama Fernandes, Vice Chairperson, Northern Arc Capital, India
Moderator:
● Reaven Gerrad D’Souza, Managing Editor, The Times Kuwait
PANEL DISCUSSION: Women Leadership in the Fourth Industrial Revolution
Speakers:
● Lujaina Mohsin Darwish, Chairperson, Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC – ITICS; Member, Majlis A’Dawla (Oman State Council); Chairperson, India-Oman Friendship Society
● Shivali Lawale, Director, Symbiosis School of International Studies, India
● Shaikha Najla Mohamed Salem Alqasimi, Director, Global Affairs Department, B’huth (Dubai Public Policy Research Centre); Former UAE ambassador
● Shaymaa Elsharqawi, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Falcon Institute for Strategic Studies and Human Development, Egypt
● Ambika Vishwanath, Founder and Director, Kubernein Initiative, India
Moderator:
● Jyoti Malhotra, Senior Consulting Editor, ThePrint, India
PERSPECTIVES: The ‘Y’ Factor: Towards Shaping a Common Arabian Sea Destiny
● Staff Colonel Pilot Adel Binsanqoor (Retd.), Acting Director of Strategic Study and Scientific Research Division, The Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research, UAE
● Madhukeshwar Desai, Founder and CEO, Mumbai Centre for International Arbitration; National Vice President, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, India
● Kaustubh Dhavse, Officer on Special Duty to the Deputy Chief Minister, Government of Maharashtra, India
PERSPECTIVES: EMERGING ARCHITECTURES
● Hamad Ebrahim Al-Abdulla, Executive Director, Bahrain Center for Strategic, International and Energy Studies (DERASAT), Bahrain
● Mansour Almarzoqi, Director, Centre for Strategic Studies, Prince Saud Al-Faisal Institute for Diplomatic Studies, Saudi Arabia
VALEDICTORY SESSION: Towards a Shared, Prosperous Future
● Lujaina Mohsin Darwish, Chairperson, Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC – ITICS; Member, Majlis A’Dawla (Oman State Council); Chairperson, India-Oman Friendship Society
● Pankaj Khimji, Advisor Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, Oman; Director, Khimji Ramdas Group; Chairperson, Oman Cricket
● Mahjoob Zweiri, Director, Gulf Studies Centre, Qatar University, Qatar
● Navdeep Suri, Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India
● Sanjay Kumar, Secretary (Youth Affairs), Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India
● Rajesh Shah, Trustee, Observer Research Foundation; Co-Chairperson and Managing Director, Mukand Ltd., India
Vote of Thanks:
● Dhaval Desai, Vice President and Senior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India
Those developments come days after Russia instigated a partial mobilisation affecting up to 300,000 additional troops…reports Asian Lite News
Russia has toughened penalties for soldiers voluntarily surrendering or refusing to fight, with up to 10 years imprisonment, and it replaced its top logistics general after a series of setbacks to its seven-month war in Ukraine.
Those developments come days after Russia instigated a partial mobilisation affecting up to 300,000 additional troops, at a time when Kyiv has taken back more and more territory in a stunning counter-offensive.
Seemingly in response to the new Russian penalties, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky directly addressed Russian citizens on Saturday, telling them that their president was knowingly “sending citizens to their death.”
Speaking in Russian, he called on Moscow’s forces to surrender, saying, “You will be treated in a civilized manner… No one will know the circumstances of your surrendering.”
His pointed remarks came as Kremlin-held regions of eastern and southern Ukraine voted for a second day on whether to become part of Russia, dramatically raising the stakes in the conflict.
Integrating the four regions into Russia would mean that Moscow would consider any military move there as an attack on its own territory.
Zelensky has denounced the polls, on Friday calling them “crimes against international law and the law of Ukraine”.
Ukraine’s recent gains have laid bare flaws in Russia’s approach since it invaded on February 24, with some analysts seeing logistics as the weak link in Moscow’s army.
“Army General Dmitry Bulgakov has been relieved of the post of deputy minister of defence” and will be replaced by Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, aged 60, the defence ministry said.
Russia’s partial mobilisation, announced on Wednesday, will likely be one of Mizintsev’s first big logistical challenges, with the hundreds of thousands of reservists being called up needing equipment and training before deployment.
Military-age men have sought to leave, with flights full and neighbouring countries receiving an influx of Russians. Some 2,300 private vehicles were waiting at one crossing into Georgia, regional Russian authorities said.
“We were talking to our friends and many are thinking about leaving,” said Daria, 22, after fleeing Russia to Istanbul with many of her compatriots.
“Not everyone wanted to leave in February. The (mobilisation) decision of September 21 forced many to think about it again.”
More than 700 people were detained in protests on Saturday against the partial mobilisation, according to independent monitoring group OVD-Info.
Now that President Vladimir Putin has signed the legislation, servicemen who desert, surrender “without authorisation”, refuse to fight or disobey orders can face up to 10 years imprisonment.
Looting will be punishable by 15 years imprisonment.
A separate law, also signed on Saturday, facilitates Russian citizenship for foreigners who enlist in the Russian army as the Kremlin seeks to bolster the ranks.
Biden calls vote a ‘sham’
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden dismissed as a “sham” the voting on whether Russia should annex four regions of Ukraine.
And in remarks at the UN General Assembly in New York, even Beijing, Moscow’s closest ally since the war began, called on Russia and Ukraine not to let the effects of the war “spill over”.
In his own address to the UN on Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov bitterly criticized Western nations, saying the United States and its allies sought to “destroy” his country.
“The official Russophobia in the West is unprecedented. Now the scope is grotesque,” he said.
He also defended the referendums, describing them as people claiming land “where their ancestors have been living for hundreds of years.”
The voting is being held in Russian-controlled areas of Donetsk and Lugansk in the east, and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south.
Authorities there are going door-to-door to collect votes.
Polling stations then open Tuesday for residents to cast ballots on the final day of voting. Results are expected as early as late Tuesday.
“Ultimately, things are moving towards the restoration of the Soviet Union. The referendum is one step towards this,” Leonid, a 59-year-old military official said.
The snap referendums were announced just this week after the Ukrainian counter-offensive seized most of the northeast Kharkiv region — bringing hundreds of settlements back under Kyiv’s control after months of Russian occupation.
On Saturday, bad weather and stiff Russian resistance caused Ukraine’s counter-offensive to slow to a brutal slog in Kupiansk, in the eastern Kharkiv region.
“For now, the rain is making it difficult to use heavy weapons everywhere. We can only use paved roads,” Ukrainian army sergeant Roman Malyna said.
Irpin, close to the capital, was recaptured after weeks of fighting and residents have rallied to start rebuilding before winter sets in.
More than 100 apartment blocks in Irpin — dubbed a “hero city” by Zelensky for holding back Russian invaders — were badly damaged by shelling.
Evidence of ‘war crimes’
Head of the residents’ association in his building, Mykhailo Kyrylenko looked proudly at the new roof taking shape.
“People don’t have much money, but they agreed” to donate funds to gradually restore shattered homes, he said.
Putin this week warned that Moscow would use “all means” to protect its territory — which former Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev said on social media could include the use of “strategic nuclear weapons”.
UN investigators on Friday accused Russia of committing war crimes on a “massive scale” in Ukraine — listing bombings, executions, torture and horrific sexual violence.
In the eastern Kharkiv region, Ukrainian officials said they had exhumed 447 bodies from a site near the city of Izyum, which was recaptured from Russian forces.
The Kremlin has accused Kyiv of fabricating evidence of the alleged war crimes.
The crown prince and the German chancellor also met with business delegations from Saudi Arabia and Germany…reports Asian Lite News
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Saturday received German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Jeddah, who was in the Kingdom at the beginning of a two-day tour of the Gulf region, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
During the meeting, held at Al-Salam Palace, Prince Mohammed welcomed the German chancellor to the Kingdom and conveyed greetings from King Salman, while Scholz expressed his happiness to visit the country and meet with the crown prince.
The two sides reviewed aspects of Saudi-German relations and areas of partnership between the two countries, in addition to discussing prospects for bilateral cooperation and opportunities for its development in accordance with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
During the reception, the latest regional and international developments were discussed, as well as efforts to achieve international stability and peace. They also exchanged views on a number of issues and issues of common concern.
The crown prince and the German chancellor also met with business delegations from Saudi Arabia and Germany.
Prince Mohammed then hosted a working lunch for the German chancellor.
Scholz, who will return to Berlin on Sunday evening after also visiting the UAE and Qatar, is accompanied by a large delegation that includes representatives of several economic sectors.
Renuka Singh and Jhulan Goswami then delivered a fabulous opening spell to reduce England to 45/4 by the 12th over…reports Asian Lite News
Indian women’s cricket team gave a fitting farewell to legendary fast bowler Jhulan Goswami, on her last international game, with a 16-run victory in a low-scoring third and final T20I and 3-0 series whitewash over England at Lord’s on Saturday.
With this, India also maintained their winning streak in the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25.
Led by a brilliant bowling display, India defended 169 at the Lord’s in dramatic fashion as they got the last England wicket via runout at the non-striker’s end.
With England requiring 17 runs to win, Charlotte Dean, who fought hard with an 80-ball 47, backed up too far at the non-striker’s end and Deepti removed the bails to leave the batter in tears and those watching in shock.
Earlier, put into bat, India were reduced to 29/4. However, they recovered with Smriti Mandhana (50) and Deepti Sharma (68 not out) stitching together a crucial half-century stand. But once the partnership was broken, India lost wickets at regular intervals and were bowled out for 169 in 45.4 overs, making a below-par total.
Renuka Singh and Jhulan Goswami then delivered a fabulous opening spell to reduce England to 45/4 by the 12th over.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad struck twice in her first two overs to further dent England. 53/6 soon turned into 65/7 and the hosts had a huge uphill task on hand, but skipper Amy Jones and Charlotte Dean strung together a brilliant stand to revive England’s innings.
While Jones was dismissed, Dean waged a lonely battle, continuing to push England closer to the target. The 21-year-old found support from the lower-order and an England win appeared a distinct possibility with Dean closing in on a half-century.
Freya Davies and Dean put on 35 runs for the final wicket, helping England from 118/9 to within touching distance of the target before Deepti Sharma ran Dean out before delivering the ball at the non-striker’s end in her delivery stride to seal India’s win.
While the dismissal garnered attention from all quarters, according to the updated ICC Playing Conditions, “running out of the non-striker” has been moved from the ‘Unfair Play’ section to the ‘Run out’ section.
The series whitewash gave India their first such win over England in an ODI series in 20 years. They had beaten England 5-0 at home in 2002. This is, however, the first time India have whitewashed a non-Asian side in a bilateral ODI series of three or more games.
Indian cricket fraternity bids farewell to pace great Jhulan Goswami
It was a fitting farewell for Goswami in her final international game and her first at the historic venue since the heartbreaking loss to England in the final of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2017.
Brief scores: India 169 in 45.4 overs (Deepti Sharma 68 not out, Smriti Mandhana 50; Kate Cross 4-26) beat England 153 in 43.4 overs (Charlotte Dean 47, Amy Jones 28; Renuka Singh 4.29, Jhulan Goswami 2-30) by 16 runs.
Addressing the needs of refugees and displaced people in the OIC region is an example of zakat and charitable funding, he said, wishing the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees success…reports Asian Lite News
Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, supervisor general of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, recently represented the Kingdom at the launch ceremony of the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees.
The fund is supported by UNHCR and the Islamic Development Bank’s Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development, with an initial amount of $100 million, on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
In his speech, Al-Rabeeah expressed his happiness about the fruitful partnership between UNHCR and IDB to help millions of people around the world who are forcibly displaced, by offering constant support for refugees and displaced persons and their host communities.
He noted the importance of strengthening collective action and partnership to better respond and develop innovative, sustainable and comprehensive solutions, in line with the 17th sustainable development goal.
Al-Rabeeah said that the Kingdom was optimistic about UNHCR and IDB’s partnership, which embodies the values of humanity, justice and equality in developing innovative solutions for the refugee crisis.
Al-Rabeeah said: “Amid an increasing number of crises around the world, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation region accommodates the largest number of refugees in the world; we are all aware and fulfill our responsibility by providing all the refugees and displaced people’s needs to lead a safe, healthy and decent life.”
He said that the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees “would help us achieve this humanitarian objective, and given the significant economic challenges the world is facing and due to the limited donor base, this is the best time to present innovative ways to increase the funding modalities.”
Al-Rabeeah said that Islam encourages charitable work, that zakat is the duty of all Muslims who are capable of donating, and that this was the best time to establish the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees. He indicated that the success of this fund relies on the participation of authorized partners and project-based funding, with a transparent monitoring process.
Addressing the needs of refugees and displaced people in the OIC region is an example of zakat and charitable funding, he said, wishing the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees success.
The Global Islamic Fund for Refugees is to be a financing tool for refugees, in compliance with the provisions and principles of Islamic Shariah.
This fund consists of an endowment and nonendowment account to receive and invest donations, in accordance with Islamic financing’s principles. The revenue is deposited in a trust account to fund the response programs for refugees, displaced people and their host communities in the IDB member states.
The Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development has donated $50 million to the endowment account, while the UNHCR has donated $50 million to the nonendowment account, as an initial capital to launch this initiative with $100 million.
The fund also aims to raise additional capital of $400 million as a minimum target by allowing donations from people wishing to contribute.
